1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a liquid aroma injector, and relates more specifically to a liquid aroma injector that controls the flow of scented liquid allowed to enter a spa or the like.
2. Related Art
Hydrotherapy is a non-invasive form of treatment where a patient can be treated for many conditions like muscle spasms, wounds, burns, and sprains by manipulating the temperature and circulation of and pressure created by streams of water in an enclosure. Hydrotherapy is also useful for massaging, relaxing, and reviving a user.
Conventional spas, hot tubs, whirlpool baths, swimming pools, showers and the like, including hydrotherapy equipment, all of which are referred to herein collectively as spas, can be used in hydrotherapy. Spas often comprise means to generate air bubbles to entrain in a water flow or jet to strategically send aerated waters to massage and soothe the body of a user. Spas typically are constructed as a molded shell to form a water containment or fluid enclosure having a foot well or floor and an upstanding sidewall. Molded within the enclosure can be a plurality of therapy stations which may include seats or platforms for reclining. The shell typically is constructed of fiberglass, plastic or a similar material, or a composite of such materials. One or more pumps usually are placed under or proximal to the shell to draw water from the enclosure, recirculate it, and discharge it with air from an air line as an aerated water stream into the enclosure through a plurality of nozzles or water jets of various types. The water jets usually are mounted through the shell in either or both of the floor and sidewall. Typically, water jets mounted through the sidewall are located below the maximum water line of the spa.
The massaging and therapeutic action of a spa usually is provided by water jets that are mounted on or recessed into the walls of the artificial water structure. Several water jets are usually spaced about the perimeter of an artificial water structure. Water jets typically comprise nozzles for forming and adjusting the water flow through the water jets and, in some water jets, the nozzles may be rotated to achieve a desired flow in order to maximize the therapeutic effect. The nozzle can be a swivel type nozzle, which allows the direction of the flow to be adjusted by the user of the artificial water structure to further maximize massaging or therapeutic action, and often is referred to as a directional nozzle. The nozzle also can be immovably attached to the spa sidewall, and groups of such nozzles often are referred to as cluster jets.
Aromatherapy is the use of aromatic and/or medicinal vapors to enhance the feeling of well-being of a user and for other therapeutic effects including healing and relaxation. Often, essential oils and hydrosols (aromas) are extracted from plants and herbs and used to provide the therapeutic aromas used in aromatherapy. These fragrant aromas can be used in either liquid or vapor form.
The aromas can enter the body through the skin or the olfactory system. Aromas can be absorbed through the skin through direct contact, or they can be added to water or another carrier. The aromas also can diffuse through the air and enter the nose of a user. Studies suggest that aromatherapy induces deeper breathing, which assists in oxygenation of the blood and may serve to improve overall cardiovascular health.
Combining the effects of hydrotherapy and aromatherapy would be advantageous for enhanced relaxation and circulatory benefits. Conventional spa aromatherapy systems work by introducing airborne aroma through the air lines, into the aerated water stream of the spa, and then into the water. These systems require an air blower to carry the scent through the plumbing of the spa into the water of the spa, which results in a low concentration and uneven distribution of aroma, causes undesired “mixing” of various scents over time, and requires frequent cleaning of the plumbing due to sticky buildup from the airborne aroma. Other conventional systems include the direct introduction of liquid aroma into the water by, for example, the user pouring the liquid aroma from a bottle or another container directly into the spa water. Because liquid aroma that is poured directly into the spa water is not easily stored in the immediate vicinity of a spa, it is not readily available to users and its dispensing rate is not controlled, which can lead to overwhelming and undesirable concentration of liquid aroma. If too much liquid aroma is poured directly into the water of a spa, the only remedy available to a user is to completely empty the spa, clean the spa, and refill the water so that another lesser amount of liquid aroma can be introduced. This process is expensive and time consuming.
Accordingly, there is a need for a readily available, controlled dispensing system for liquid aroma to be used in conjunction with a spa. It is to this need and others that the present invention is directed.